im sorry man hope u get it fixed

 

Congrats bud.....WooHoo!!!!!!
The feeling of relief is total isn't it lol?

Al.

 

Well all is installed. I took a quick drive around and gauge didnt read.......I grounded the one ground between the trans and the fill tube, but I am guessing that it wasnt a good ground. Called autometer and they told me that any good engine ground would be fine that it does not have to be close to the sender....so since I didnt have a big enough eye ring, I just grounded it on the battery....started the truck and I fig the trans would be warm, gauge didnt move. Not sure, everything else is good that I know of. I have to run some errands, so I am going to go drive around and see if maybe it is actually working, but I would assume it would take much for the trans to get to 100*

Now maybe silver can awnser my question or someone can. Will the battery work as an engine ground or not? Or does it have to be grounded to the frame or the like to work? Thanks

 

A ground is a ground. The battery is the source of all the grounding. There is a grounding strap that connects the engine to the battery, and the frame to the engine, etc. All grounds are one big circuit beginning at the battery.

Also, the farther away from the sender you put the ground, the thicker gauge ground you need to use though. if you're using an engine ground i'd suggest going with 12 gauge to prevent any loss of current.

 

well, glad you got it fixed...this is good info to know because i plan on doing this in the near future

 

Glad you got that sucker out!

I've been driving around with my temp gauge inoperable, just wired the light for now. Wasn't gonna mess with the test port. Waiting to need to do a tranny fluid change in about 12k miles then I'm just gonna tap the pan.
I basically bought the pillar and gauge cause my fat a$$ snapped my stock pillar. Dunno if it's any more beneficial to do the tap in the pan, but I'm more comfortable doing it that way myself...

 

Well the gauge I guess is working. I drove around for a while including a 15 min highway trip and it barely moved above 100*. It would go just on the right side of the 100* line. Sometimes a hair higher and sometimes a hair lower. But not moving much. Its about 44* today and a steady breeze. Is 100* right? That seems low. Now, I wired up the gauge like silver did and ran the 12v source right to the battery. This means the gauge is powered to read the temp at all times. I am going to change this then to a switched 12v source so it only comes on when the truck is started.

But when I unhooked the power wire from the battery, gauge dropped down and did not read any longer. Hooked it back up and back to 100* or so. I only have 18g wire going from the ground to the bat, so maybe I will upgrade this to a 12gauge and see if that does it.

So the long story short, is 100* right for a trans with no load? Thanks

 

I might have awnsered my own question, I did some searching on here and came up with this:

Non towing: temp will be about 40 degrees over air temp (e.g. air temp of 70 means trans temp of about 110; air temp of 90 means trans temp of about 130. Temp measured with torque converter clutch locked.

Towing: Temp about 60 degrees over air temp on level roads (e.g. air temp of 90 means trans temp of 150). On grades where the engine is working pretty hard but the torque converter clutch does NOT unlock, the trans temp will climb to about 75 degrees over air (e.g. air temp of 90 means trans temp of 165). On long hard climbs with the TC clutch unlocked (engine at WOT in 2nd gear), the trans temp will steadily climb well above these numbers. The highest trans temp I've seen so far was 195 degrees at the crest of a 5 mile long, 6% grade with 95 degree temps. I've seen temps of 180 to 185 multiple times after 8 to 10 mile climbs on 7% grades where the air temp was more like 60 degrees.

 

Yes thats normal. The tranny is usually about 100* cooler than the outside air under load. During the winter, I never see mine really move at all due to the colder temps. Wait till it gets a little warmer out before you starting troubleshooting something that is probably correct anyways.

You should have your power wire (red) tapped into a 12v so the gauge is only powered when the engine is running (or in acc position). Your ground should be connected to the frame/engine/battery at all times (black wire).

EDIT!!! woahhh I had my head up my butt for a minute there. 100 cooler than outside air?!?! lol uhh... no. the numbers you found (40-60 warmer than outside air) are correct. I was towing a HEAVY load up mountains in 110 degree weather and tranny never got past 180-200.

 

Thanks. Then I am ok haha. I just need to redo my power wire, where is an easy to find good 12v switched source? Thnanks!